Amalee Jacobs has been protecting her community for over a decade as a firefighter and now looks to represent it in the World Box Lacrosse Championship this fall.
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Jacobs, from Six Nations, was named to the Haudenosaunee Nationals who are set to compete in the first women’s World Box Lacrosse championships.
Jacobs has been a member of Six Nations Fire and Emergency Services as a volunteer and career firefighter.
She was one of 12 players from Six Nations named to the Haudenosaunee Nationals to compete at the championships.
Lacrosse was always more of a causal passion for Jacobs growing up, when she began her career playing field lacrosse in Six Nations as a child.
This will be the second time that Jacobs has competed on the world stage. She previously traveled to Hanover, Germany, to play in the U-19 field lacrosse championships.
Not long after that tournament, she transitioned to box lacrosse and found her passion for the sport.
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“I was playing for the Grand River Attack, and that team is now a part of the women’s Major Series lacrosse,” said Jacobs.
Jacobs won a championship as part of the Attack in her rookie year back in 2018. This will be her seventh year playing box lacrosse.
Women have not competed in box lacrosse on an international level up until this point, so the idea of this being a possibility never really crossed Jacobs’ mind.
“I can’t say it has never been on my radar because I never thought that, as a woman, I would have a chance to play box lacrosse at a world level,” said Jacobs.
“I’m definitely honored to have this opportunity to be a part of this inaugural team, and I hope it empowers more women and girls to pursue a future in lacrosse.”
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During the gruelling nine-month process of practices and tryouts, it sometimes was hard to balance her life as a firefighter and lacrosse, said Jacobs.
“It’s been extremely challenging to balance both, and thankfully doing this extra training complements both my lacrosse and firefighting since they are both physically demanding jobs.”
Jacobs used all his vacation and personal time to attend training camps. Making the most of this opportunity was a major priority for her, and the 24-hour firefighter schedule also helped a lot, said Jacobs.
Jacobs is a strong defensive player, but as with many high-level athletes, she is always hoping to improve and learn new skills.
The women’s World Box Lacrosse Championships are being held in Utica, New York from September 20 to 29.
“I think I’m just excited to be a part of the women’s box lacrosse history. It’s going to be an honor to represent my family, my community, and my nation on the world stage,” said Jacobs.
The other 11 players from Six Nations are Chelsea Doolittle, Chelsea Gibson, Kenley Jacobs, Chelsea John, Trisha John, Mia Martin, Fawn Porter, Stacy Smith, Alisha Smith-Longboat, Joni Squire-Hill, and Carey-Leigh Vyse.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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